Plate for Eating While Standing Up

ABSTRACT

A plate intended for use while standing up is configured to allow the main area of the plate to rest on the forearm of a user, while a user&#39;s index finder and thumb grip a holder ( 15 ) projecting downwardly from the rim region ( 13 ) of the plate. The height of the holder ( 15 ) is substantially the same as the height of the rim region ( 13 ) of the plate, above the food-holding base area ( 11 ) thereof. The holder ( 15 ) is configured internally to accommodate a drinking vessel ( 20 ) such as a stemmed wine glass, a tumbler, or a can or bottle. The holder ( 15 ) is profiled to facilitate the stacking of a plurality of like plates, with the holders partially nested.

This invention relates to a plate suitable for use while standing up, toenable food and drink to be consumed easily, using only one hand.

There exists a number of products to assist eating and drinking whilststanding up. For example, clips which fit to plates are known, whichallow a stemmed wine glass to be suspended from the edge of the plate.Also known are flat plates incorporating a round hole with a slotcommunicating to the edge of the plate, to allow a stemmed wine glass tobe inserted into the hole and suspended directly from the plate.

These known products suffer from a number of limitations:—

-   -   1. The wine glass or other drinking vessel, or even a can or        bottle if the clip or plate is appropriately configured, cannot        be handled by the same hand as is used to hold the plate,        leaving the other hand free for manipulating utensils.    -   2. The plate has to be held by its edge region, so that the        effective mass of the plate, food and glass are all further from        the person's elbow than his/her hand, so putting excessive        stress on the person's hand and arm.    -   3. The plate lacks any form of stop against which food can be        pushed to enable easy loading of the food onto a fork or spoon,        using only one hand.    -   4. The user has nowhere to put cutlery when serving himself with        food or drink.

This invention aims at providing a plate suitable for use while standingup, to facilitate eating and drinking for example at a party, a buffetluncheon and so on.

Accordingly, this invention provides a plate suitable for use whilestanding up, which plate comprises a base area, a rim region disposedadjacent at least a part of the base area and having an edge disposed ata level above the base area, and a holder projecting downwardly from therim region towards the level of the base area, the holder defining aninternal opening for receiving a part of a drinking vessel (such as astemmed wine glass, a beaker or tumbler, a can or a bottle) and therebeing a slot extending from the edge of the rim region into the holderand communicating with the internal opening thereof.

Most preferably, the holder is of rounded external cross-sectional shapeand is externally dimensioned for gripping by the thumb and forefingerof a user, with the rounded cross-section located against the web of auser's hand between the thumb and forefinger and so also contacting atleast the greater part of the length of each of the thumb and indexfinger. When gripped in this way, the main area of the plate may berested on the forearm while the thumb and forefinger grips the externalsurface of the holder and stabilises the plate in that position on theforearm. This allows the mass of the plate, drinking vessel (such as astemmed glass or tumbler, can or bottle) and any food carried on theplate primarily to be supported by the forearm of the user, so allowinga relatively relaxed grip on the holder. In turn, this minimises stresson the user and in particular on the user's wrist and fingers.

In one embodiment, the holder defines an elongate opening extendinggenerally perpendicularly to the base area of the plate, which openingis dimensioned to accommodate the stem of a stemmed wine glass. In analternative embodiment, the holder is of generally cylindrical form andis provided with an in-turned flange having a central opening and whichdefines the internal opening of the holder. With either embodiment, theholder may define an upwardly-facing concave surface around the openingtherein, for receiving the external surface of the bowl of a stemmedwine glass. In this way, the wine glass may be supported by the holderin a particularly stable manner, resistant to spillage or falling fromthe plate in the event that the arm of the user is accidentally nudgedby some other person. Further, at least the index finger of the user'shand gripping the holder may be used to retain the vessel within theholder, and maybe also the other fingers depending upon the nature ofthe vessel.

Preferably, the holder has a side wall which is internally andexternally profiled to allow the plate to be stacked with another likeplate, in an at least partially nested manner. For example, the holdermay have a side wall which has downwardly tapering internal and externalprofiles to allow the holder to be at least partially nested in theholder of another like plate, on stacking the plates. Thus, the angle oftaper should be selected having regard to the depth of the holder andthe wall thickness thereof, to allow such stacking to take place.

In an alternative arrangement, the internal profile of the holder ismore cylindrical in order to allow the accommodation of a cylindricalvessel, can, bottle or the like. In this case, the side wall of theholder may have cut out regions adjacent the rim region of the plate, toallow the accommodation of the lower part of the side wall of the holderof another like plate to be stacked with the first plate. Each such cutout region may be in the form of a window through the side wall, thewindow having a lower edge substantially parallel to the edge of the rimregion and the side edges of the window extending generally helicallytowards the rim region, from said lower edge. Advantageously, there arethree such windows the side edges of which are defined by holder sidewall portions communicating with the rim region of the plate,respectively to each side of the slot and at a location diametricallyopposed to the slot.

Also to assist the nesting, or at least partial nesting, of one platewith another like plate, there may be an inclined surfaceinterconnecting the base area and the rim region of the plate. When onlypartial nesting is required, as might be the case with a holder providedwith windows as described above, the external surface (and normally theunder surface) of the plate may be provided with stacking nibsprojecting from below the rim region to define a separation between theupper surface of a rim region of one plate and the lower surface of therim region of another like plate with which said one plate is stacked.

The width of the slot extending from the holder to the edge of the rimregion may be narrower than the diameter of the central opening of thein-turned flange. In this way, the slot and central opening togetherdefine a general keyhole-shape, adapted to receive the stem of a stemmedwine glass. Preferably however, the width of the slot in the in-turnedflange is of substantially constant width. Also, by appropriatedimensioning of the slot and central opening, it may be possible tolocate the neck of a bottle in the central opening, so as to be heldthereby with the bottle suspended below the holder.

The effective width of the slot may be greater in avertically-intermediate section of the slot, as compared to the width inthe rim region of the plate and at the bottom of the holder. In thisway, it may be possible for a user's index finger to engage a part of adrinking vessel located within the holder, so as to impart stability onthat vessel and prevent the accidental removal thereof from the holder.

The holder could be made relatively long so as to facilitate gripping bymore than just the index finger and thumb of a user. However, it ispreferred for the holder to be relatively short so that the lowersurface of the in-turned flange is substantially co-planar with thelower surface of the base area of the plate. In this case, the flange ispreferably disposed at the lower end of the holder.

In preferred embodiments, the lower surface of the plate between theholder and the base area is concavely rounded to accommodate the wristregion of a user's arm or the first metacarpal region of a user's hand,when gripping the holder. Further, the rim region may be profiledadjacent the holder to permit the retention of eating utensils thereon.

By way of example only, several specific embodiments of plate of thisinvention will now be described in detail, reference being made to theaccompanying drawings in which:—

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the first embodiment of plate, andshowing the engagement of a stemmed wine glass with the holder of theplate;

FIG. 2 shows the first embodiment of plate being held by a user, with awine glass located in the holder;

FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 2 but showing the wine glass being removedfrom the plate;

FIG. 4 is similar to FIG. 1 and shows the first embodiment with food onthe base area, a wine glass located in the holder and cutlery positionedon the plate rim;

FIG. 5 diagrammatically illustrates how a fork may be loaded withfoodstuffs, by using only the one hand;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of plate, togetherwith a can located in the holder;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the second embodiment of plate, butbeing used to support a bottle;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a third embodiment, specifically adaptedfor holding papers rather than food and so suitable for use for exampleat a wine tasting event;

FIGS. 9 and 10 are detail views on modifications of the holder of thesecond embodiment of plate of this invention;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of another embodiment of plate;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of two plates as shown in FIG. 11, stackedtogether and partially nested;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of yet another embodiment; and

FIG. 14 is a transverse cross-section through the holder of the plate ofFIG. 13.

FIGS. 1 to 5 show a first embodiment of plate of this invention. Theplate has a substantially flat base area 11 from which projects upwardlyand outwardly an inclined wall 12 merging into a rim region 13 having aperipheral edge 14. The rim region 13 is generally planar and parallelto the base area 11, though that rim region may slope downwardly by asmall extent, from its rim region to the inclined wall 12, or beslightly dished—i.e. concave when viewed from above.

At one end of the base area 11 the rim region has an extended width, aholder 15 projecting downwardly from the underside of the rim region atthis one end. The holder has a generally circular externalcross-sectional shape and includes on its external surface one or moreprotuberances 16 to facilitate the gripping of the holder by a user'sthumb and index finger, as shown in FIG. 2.

A slot 17 communicates between the adjacent peripheral edge 14 of therim region and the holder 15, as best seen in FIGS. 1 and 3. The outerwall of the holder 15 is profiled so as to define a generallycylindrical opening 18 in communication with the slot 17, whereby thestem 19 of a wine glass 20 may be passed along the slot 17 and belocated in the opening 18, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The upper surfaceof the rim region 13 is bevelled as shown at 21 in FIG. 1, so as toassist the location of the bowl 22 of wine glass 20, to be carried bythe plate.

A raised ridge 23 is formed along the edge of the inclined wall 12nearest the holder 15, so that there is defined an area between theholder 15 and the ridge 23 for the positioning of cutlery, when not inuse, as shown in FIG. 4. Further, there is provided a rounded formation24, concave from below the plate, communicating between the base area ofthe plate and the rim region nearest the holder 15. This rounded profileprovides space below the plate for the accommodation of the firstmetacarpal bone in the region of a user's wrist and hand, as bestappreciated from FIGS. 2 and 3. This allows the underside of the basearea 11 of the plate easily to be rested on the user's forearm.

In use, the plate is rested on the forearm of a user, as shown in FIGS.2 and 3, with the holder 15 gripped by the thumb and forefinger of theuser's hand. The stem of a wine glass may be passed along the slot 17 toenter the opening 18 and is then lowered on to the bevelled edge 21, sothat it cannot be removed without an initial vertical lifting movement.The forefinger gripping the holder may be used to close the slot 17, sopreventing accidental removal of the glass. In addition, the remainingthree fingers of a user's hand may rest lightly on the stem of a glass(see particularly FIG. 2) so as to stabilise the glass within thecylindrical opening 18. When the glass is to be removed, the forefingermay be moved away from the slot 18 as shown in FIG. 3.

When the plate is used at a buffet or similar event, cutlery can beplaced against the ridge 23 provided on the upper surface of the rimregion of the plate, adjacent the holder 15. This ridge 23 is positionedin such a way so as not to interfere with the stacking of a plurality ofthe plates.

On the side of the base area 11 furthest from the holder 15, theinclined wall 12 may be made as nearly vertical as is practicable forthe manufacturing processes, with a radius of curvature about a verticalaxis greater than that to the centre of the plate. This wall 12 providesan effective and easy way for food to be scooped on to a fork or spoonheld by one hand of the user, the other hand being used to grip theholder 15 and a glass located in that holder.

Though not illustrated, the configuration and dimensioning of the plateis such that a plurality of the plates may be stacked with one platebeing at least partially nested into the next plate in the stack.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show a second embodiment of plate, provided with a holder27 of substantially cylindrical form, both internally and externally andwith an in-turned flange 28 at the lower end of the holder. Such aholder may accommodate a can, beaker or tumbler or other generallycylindrical vessels, as well as stemmed wine glasses. This embodiment isstill provided with a slot 29 which extends into the flange 28, to allowthe introduction of the stem of a wine glass, but the opening in theslot is wider in its middle section than at the rim region of the plateto allow easy access to the drinking vessel through the slot, by theforefinger of a user gripping the holder 27. As shown in FIG. 6, theouter periphery of the holder 27 has two protuberances 30, to facilitatethe gripping of the holder by a user's thumb and index finger.

The configuration of plate of FIGS. 6 and 7 may be used to suspend abottle from the holder, as shown in FIG. 7, so long as the dimensioningof the slot 29 within the in-turned flange is suitable for the bottle.Typically, the size of the central opening of the in-turned flangeshould be approximately 26 mm in diameter, and the width of the slotcorresponding to that, so that the bottle may be moved into the holderand then suspended by a bead conventionally formed around the neck of aglass bottle fitted with a crown cap.

In other respects, the embodiment of FIGS. 6 and 7 corresponds to thefirst embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 5 and like features are given likereference numerals; those features will not be described again here.

FIG. 8 shows a third embodiment where the base area of the platetogether with the majority of the inclined wall and corresponding rimregion are replaced by a substantially flat surface 32 suitable forsupporting papers. A known form of spring clip assembly 33 is providedalong one edge 34 of the surface 32, to retain papers on that surface.From another edge 35 of the surface 32, an inclined wall 36 projectsupwardly and conjoins a rim region 37 provided with a holder 15corresponding to that of the first embodiment. The vertical depth of theholder 15 corresponds to the rise of the inclined wall 36 so that theplate may be placed stably on a flat surface.

As the holder 15 corresponds to and is used in the same manner as thatof the first embodiment, it will not be described in further detailhere. However, this embodiment of plate is particularly useful at eventssuch as wine tastings, where a wine glass may be supported in a holderthe external surface of which is gripped by one hand of the use, withthe flat surface 32 resting on the forearm of that hand, while a userwrites notes on papers held by the spring clip assembly 33 on the flatsurface 32, using the other hand.

FIG. 9 shows a modification of the second embodiment shown in FIGS. 6and 7, wherein the cylindrical holder 40 is defined by four inclinedhelical elements 41. The configuration of each element 41 enables thecorresponding element on another plate to be disposed thereabove, andhence to allow closer nesting of a plurality of the plates thanotherwise would be possible were the holder to have a continuous wall,as in the embodiment of FIGS. 6 and 7. FIG. 10 shows an alternative tothe helical elements 41 extending between the rim region of the plateand the internal flange of the holder. In the embodiment of FIG. 10, theside wall 42 of the holder tapers inwardly in the downward direction toallow nesting of a plurality of the plates. The side wall 42 is providedwith a plurality of windows 43 and in the region of those windows, thebase wall of the holder is extended laterally at 44. These windowspermit accommodation of the outer edge of the in-turned flange ofanother like plate, when a plurality of the plates are stacked and alsocontact between a held container and the index finger and thumb of auser, gripping the holder. The lateral extensions of the base wall serveto ensure the index finger and thumb of the hand gripping the holder donot slip off the holder.

FIGS. 11 and 12 show yet another embodiment of plate similar to that ofFIG. 9 but wherein the holder 47 includes a lower peripheral wall 48,with windows 49 formed through the wall of the holder. Additionally, therim region of the plate immediately surrounding the holder is alsorelieved in the region of the windows, to an extent sufficient toaccommodate the greatest external diameter of the holder. The windowsare defined by generally helically extending wall portions 50 each ofwhich extends from a location adjacent the peripheral edge 14 of the rimregion 13 downwardly to the lower wall 48. Further, there is anotherwall portion 51 opposed to slot 29 that wall portion 51 having edgeswhich define the windows 49. Those edges also extend in a generallyhelical manner.

The holder 47 differs from holder 40 of FIG. 9 in that it may define astrictly parallel cylindrical receptor for a can, whereby the can isheld securely within the holder 47. Despite this, two like plates may bestacked and partially nested together, as shown in FIG. 12. The windowsare shaped so that the lower part of an upper plate may be accommodatedtherewithin, with the lower edge of the holder of the upper platebearing on the lower edges of the windows 49 of the lower plate.

As with the embodiment of FIG. 9, the lower part of the holder isprovided with an outwardly-projecting lip 52, to facilitate the grippingof the holder by a user and to minimise the likelihood of the gripaccidentally being lost.

FIGS. 13 and 14 show yet another embodiment of holder similar to thatshown in FIG. 10. The holder 54 of this embodiment has a base wall 55extending generally co-planar with the base area of the plate. Aconnecting side wall 56 is inclined to the axis of the holder 54 and isdisposed in opposition to slot 17 entering the base wall. Further, thebase wall is connected by link walls 57 extending from the base wall tothe rim region 13 of the plate, in opposition to one another andexternally of the main part of the holder, these link walls extending ata significant angle to the axis of the holder as best appreciated fromFIG. 14. In this way, a pair of relatively large holes 58 are definedbetween the connecting side wall and the link walls, through which auser's index finger and thumb may contact a vessel (such as a can)located in the holder, and so impart stability to that vessel. Further,since the index finger and thumb will bear directly on the peripheralregion of the upper surface of the base wall 55 within the holes 58, thetendency for the finger and thumb to slip away from the holder isgreatly minimised.

In a similar manner to that illustrated in FIG. 12, a plurality ofplates embodying the holder 54 of this embodiment may be stacked in apartially nested manner.

1-19. (canceled)
 20. A plate suitable for use while standing up, whichplate comprises a base area defining a first level, a rim regiondisposed adjacent at least a part of the base area and having an edgedisposed at a second level above the first level, and amanually-grippable holder projecting downwardly from the rim regiontowards the first level, the holder having a side wall which isinternally and externally profiled to allow the plate to be stacked inan at least partially nested manner with another like plate, the sidewall having cut-out regions to allow accommodation of the lower part ofthe holder of another like plate on stacking the plates, the holderdefining an internal opening for receiving a part of a drinking vesseland there being a slot extending from the edge of the rim region intothe holder and communicating with the internal opening thereof.
 21. Aplate as claimed in claim 20, wherein the holder has an in-turned flangehaving a central opening defining the internal opening of the holder.22. A plate as claimed in claim 21, wherein the flange is disposed atthe lower end of the holder and is provided with one or more externalprotuberances to facilitate the gripping of the holder by a user, saidcut-out regions accommodating the protuberances when the plates arestacked with the holders at least partially nested.
 23. A plate asclaimed in claim 22, wherein the flange is substantially co-planar withthe first level of the base area.
 24. A plate as claimed in claim 23,wherein the flange defines an upwardly-facing concave surface around thecentral opening, such that in use with a stemmed wine glass having abowl, said upwardly-facing concave surface receives the external surfaceof the bowl.
 25. A plate as claimed in claim 21, wherein each cut-outregion is in the form of a window through the side wall, the windowhaving a lower edge substantially at the level of the flange, parallelto the edge of the rim region and side edges extending generallyhelically towards the rim region from the lower edge.
 26. A plate asclaimed in claim 25, wherein there are three windows the side edges ofwhich are defined by holder side wall portions communicating with therim region respectively to each side of the slot and at a locationdiametrically opposed to the slot.
 27. A plate as claimed in claim 20,wherein the holder is of generally cylindrical form.
 28. A plate asclaimed in claim 20, wherein the holder defines a receptor for at leastone vessel selected from the group consisting of a drinking vessel, abottle and a can.
 29. A plate as claimed in claim 20, wherein theexternal surface of the plate is provided with stacking nibs projectingfrom below the rim region to define a separation between the uppersurface of a rim region of one plate and the lower surface of the rimregion of another like plate with which said one plate is stacked.
 30. Aplate as claimed in claim 20, wherein the base area has a lower surfaceand between the holder and the base area, the lower surface is concavelyrounded to accommodate the wrist region of a user's arm when grippingthe holder.
 31. A plate as claimed in claim 20, wherein the rim regionis profiled adjacent the holder to permit the retention of eatingutensils thereon.
 32. A plate as claimed in claim 20, wherein the plateis symmetrical about a line extending through the centre of the internalopening of the holder and through the centre of gravity of the plate.